Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-17
TRADES UNION LEGISLATION.
Proceedings of the C. of T.U.-Gompsrs Re-
Elected-The Irish Question Bobs Up.

frOceeuinSs OF the L. oil I.Us-tiomp ers he
Elected-The Irish Question Bobs Up.
BALTIMORE, Dec. Reconsideration of
the constitution was the order of the day
Friday In the federation of labor conven-
ton 1t was proposed to alter the instru-
ment so as to permit the general officers to
assess each member 5 cents a week to help
strikers and allowing the general officers to
pend any union refusing to pay up This
was opposed as a measure of Capitalization,
and the proposition was finally remanded to
the unions to vote on, two-thirds vote be-
ing necessary to its adoption first, and then
the next convention to consider it again.
The principle of boycotting was endorsed in
another amendment, and an attempt to in
crease the presidents salary to 81, 800 pei
year was defeated
committee recommendation that the
constitutional requirement of majority OF
all the unions to change the constitution be re-
pealed was voted On, resulting: ayes, Sc; noes,
| ]9. Gompers declared it lost, as it repaired
a two-thirds vote to change the constitution,
| but those in favor of change said the vote
was not on a change but on the report of a
| committee and appealed from the decision,
and the appeal was sustained. Gompers then
| left the chair, declaring that he would have
nothing to do with such business, and the
report was adopted The treasury committee
| reported that many unions have not paid
their assessments. A motion to send two
delegates to the trades union congress in
! London was defeated, and it was recon-
mended that any union desiring to send dele
| gates do SO.
| A long report was adopted by a rising vote
declaring that the K. of L fails because it
! does not let each trade run its own business
and that its strikes fail because after local
funds are exhausted the men are ordered back
to work by men not posted in the wants Of the
strikers. Also that secret organizations are
| no good, and that the knights are fighting
all the trades unions and should be met on
their part with unrelenting opposition.
President Gompers introduced resolu ton
expressing satisfaction at the efforts being
made to establish a treaty between the
United States and Great Britain, looking to
the settlement by arbitration of all questions
difficult of solution through the ordinary
diplomatic channels, and thanking William
R Dreamer, NJ. p, for his exposition of the
object of his visit to this country. Mr. Jo-
seph Wilkinson tackled on the following
amendment:
"And we also extend our sympathies to the
people OF Ireland In their struggle for self gov
eminent, and condemn the present policy of the
British government in the coercion OF the Irish
people"
The resolution was referred and then the
following officers were elected: President,
Samuel Gompers, New York first vice presi-
dent, Daniel Mclaughlin, Braidwood Ills
second vice president, William Martin, Pitts
burg, Pa secretary, P. j, Mcclure, Phila-
delphia; treasurer, Gabriel Edmonston,
Washington John Mcbride, Of Ohio, per-
sistently refused to permit the use of his
name in connection with the presidency, and
Gompers was the only candidate.
st. Louis was chosen as the place for hold
ing the next annual convention, and the con-
vention adjourned for the day.